Old Scores

Nie Zeng still couldn't get used to carrying a woman on his back, especially when that woman could suddenly grow lighter or heavier, just like a monster from legend. Whenever he thought about it, the nape of his neck prickled. Whatever pride he'd once felt had vanished without a trace.

If this was what the Dragon King had intended, then he'd succeeded brilliantly.

That was also why Nie Zeng admired Shangguan Yun of Golden Peng Fortress. The Third Young Master was friendly to everyone and remarkably bold, daring to treat Han Wuxian like an ordinary woman—and sometimes even teasing her harmlessly.

Han Wuxian's laughter showed that she seemed to enjoy it.

Shangguan Yun hadn't overlooked the taciturn assassin. Somehow, Nie Zeng felt that he'd barely said a few words, yet had already laid out his complicated relationship with the Dragon King in full. "The Dragon King killed my uncle's family of three. Sooner or later, I'll have my revenge."

To Nie Zeng's surprise, after hearing the gist of what had happened, Shangguan Yun actually defended the Dragon King. "He was about your age back then, wasn't he? He had no more choice than you do. If the Dragon King told you to kill someone, could you refuse? When Golden Peng Fortress ordered the Dragon King to kill, he had no power to refuse either."

"It's not the same." Nie Zeng said angrily, forgetting the caution he should have shown. "No matter how little choice I had, I wouldn't kill an unarmed woman and child. Besides, I made inquiries. Golden Peng Fortress didn't order my uncle's family killed. The Dragon King and his master, Tie Hanfeng, decided to do it themselves."

Nie Zeng had forgotten who the two people beside him were. His words earned neither agreement nor sympathy.

"You call